


In Times Of Misery

by Katherine



Category: The Lion King (1994), The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998)
Genre: Gen, Scar's Reign, Simba's Return
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 20:36:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20954546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katherine/pseuds/Katherine
Summary: Scar's brief time of attention to Nuka had soon faded. Zira had never been a concerned mother.





	In Times Of Misery

Scar's brief time of attention to Nuka had soon faded. Zira had never been a concerned mother. Lately most of her focus had turned inward as her pregnancy advanced. The rest had been on Scar, solidifying the place she schemed for at his side. Although Zira had come to grudgingly believe that Scar might never name her queen, she was determined a cub she bore would be Scar's heir.

So Nuka wandered almost as soon as he could toddle. He was away from Pride Rock when Simba returned, when the pride and the hyenas fought, when Scar fell and Zira slunk away to the Outlands, banishing herself and her unborn litter.

Nuka was young enough still that he turned from his small adventures at the distressing crack of lightning and unfamiliar heavy rain. Back towards Pride Rock, expecting his indifferent mother and low-spirited pride, little comfort except in the bare fact that it was home.

He did not see a freed hornbill in the rainy sky, did not notice even when Zazu swooped downwards before carrying the word onwards to the new king.

*

Nuka stumbled into the Outlands, crying, "Mother." She came to him out of the shadows and the tall earth-spires, leaning downwards to lick at his head in perfunctory comfort.

"He chased me away," Nuka whispered. He was frightened anew at the memory of the huge red-maned lion who had snarled at him.

"We will take revenge on Simba," Zira said, her red eyes agleam. She gathered Nuka close, bringing him to the den she had claimed in these Outlands. The nearness of birthing had her irritable, yet she was pleased in her own plotting way to see her firstborn. He could serve her newer children in time. Her blood and Scar's chosen would reclaim the Pride Lands.


End file.
